Sara Karay is a 21 year old designer currently in 3rd year pursuing a degree in International Business Administration and marketing at USIU. She officially launched her 1st collection dubbed the ‘earth collection’ in May 2012 at the Hilton Hotel.
Her design aesthetic ranges from prints, especially animal print and tribal prints loud but tasteful colors to subtle hues and is quite unpredictable. Her slogan is “runway to street inspiredâ€. She designs clothes that can be worn straight off the runway but at the same time is not the ‘normal’
Her work has featured at the Nairobi Fashion Market and the Naivasha Fashion Market. She has also been selected to showcase her work at the Africa Fashion Week New York in July 2013.
We had a few questions for her, and this is what she had to say:
1. What was your first phone?
In the year 2005, a brown and grey Siemens phone. It was a gift from my lovely parents when joining high school.
2. What do you prefer? Face book or Twitter? Why?
TWITTER!!It’s undoubtedly the more engaging of the two. Also, 140 characters? You can always tell what you’re doing without giving away too much information. If not anything, you become a better writer at the end of the day. Ha!!!
3. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
- Store outlets in all the major malls in Kenya.
- Expanding my clientele to East and Central Africa. Yes I’m ambitious
- Creating jobs for young people who want to join the fashion industry.
- My big dream is to build companies, brand them and let them run. So, this fashion company is just the beginning. (my International business administration and marketing degree will come into play)
4. Any question for us? We’ll publish our answer as well.
If you had the chance to meet one person, who would it be? And why?
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Her insight on how to get more people interested in African Litereture would be amazing
5. What would you do if you were president for a day?
A day? Only a day? First, I would Find a way to add my days, months, YEARS of presidency so I could do the following:
- The fashion industry needs to grow in Kenya; to be known beyond the borders, I would start by forming a steady fashion industry where material (good QUALITYmaterial) is locally made.
- A company which sponsors Kenyan designers representing the country beyond the borders. Finances can be quite difficult to get.
- Kenya needs to be the fashion capital in Africa. Full stop!
6. What’s your favorite book& movie?
I am an unpredictable soul! so my tastes constantly changes- but right now, my CURRENT favorite book I’m reading now is ‘Think and grow rich’ (Mind blowing) and my CURRENT favorite movie I can think of now is ‘dark night rises’ – Bane has got to be the coolest villain ever.
7. Who/What inspired you to do what you do now?
Who inspires me? My family, close knit group of friends and my love for all things art.
8. If you were to change jobs, what profession would you get into? Why?
I love what I’m studying in school, and I love fashion. I would not trade those two for anything.
9. If you had a superpower, what would it be?
I wish I had the power to read minds. I would be able to pick out the genuine from the fake: in terms of people you meet and let into your life in any way. I’m a poor judge of character: Mind reading would really help.
10. If you were deserted on an abandoned island what 5 things would you want to have?
- I-pod- the world is NOTHING without music.
- FOOD – I love food! Good food!
- My sketch pad and drawing materials
- Cosmopolitan magazines
- A motor boat – so I can leave when I’m done being ‘deserted’ on that abandoned island! Ha ha!
11. If you were a car, what car would you like to be? Why?
I love sports cars. The 2014 JAGUAR F-type. Why? I repeat, THE JAGUAR 2014 sports car? – One word: STATEMENT!!!!!!!!
12. If you could be in any other band in the world, which one would you like to be in? Why?
Hmm …I’d like to be the lead musician in a band: …..maybe in Beyonce‘s all-girl band? – So, I’d be the lead singer…. meaning I’d be Beyonce! Yes? No? Ha-ha! Hey, a girl can dream.
13. What’s the weirdest comment someone has ever made about your fashion line? What’s your comment on it?
That’s a hard question. Lol! I’m sorry, I can’t think of anything
14. Share something interesting about yourself with our readers.
All that wasn’t interesting?